Taste and texture are two important cookie characteristics. A third equally important characteristic, is appearance. In traditional cookie processes, whether home-baked or commercially produced, bits of chocolate chips, raisins, nuts, peanut butter, and the like are added either as the dough is mixed or incorporated into the dough prior to shaping it into a sheet, rope, or individual dough balls or pieces. In typical home-baked cookies, the bits are mixed in with the other ingredients when preparing the dough. The dough is then formed into individual pieces. In many commercial processes, the bits are added to the dough after it is mixed, but before shaping the dough into a sheet, rope, or individual pieces.
Whether the bits are added during dough mixing or after mixing but prior to shaping the dough into a sheet, rope, or individual pieces for baking, the bits in the final baked product are substantially covered by dough. This makes the product appear to have fewer bits. Additionally, many of the dough processing, mixing, and rope formation steps tend to destroy the distinct shape, taste, texture, color, and identity of the added bits. Consequently, cookies tend to have a low level of bit display, and the bits tend to lose their distinct characteristics.
In a process where bits are added subsequent to sheet, rope, or individual piece formation, many problems can arise. First, securing the bits to the dough is difficult. Putting the bits on top of a cookie dough piece prior to and upon baking results in low bit adhesion, which in turn results in dislodgement of bits in baking, cooling, packaging, shipping, and handling. The appearance of the final product suffers. Second, there can be a high amount of waste when bits are added after dough formation. To adequately cover the cookie surface, excess bits must be used. This necessitates an additional bit reclamation and recycle step. As is evident, prominent display of bits is as difficult as adequately securing the bits to the cookie surface. All of these problems directly impact on final cookie appearance or processing costs, and ultimately on consumer preference.
In U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,318 to Forkner (1961), a method for adding filler materials to cookies is disclosed. Forkner describes a method whereby a flat dough sheet is formed, bits are sprinkled on top, a second thin sheet is, or side by side strips of dough are placed over the bits, and the combination is then pressed to form a laminate with prominently displayed, securely fastened, added bits.
Several problems can arise when using this process. First, bits sprinkled on the bottom dough sheet do not remain on the sheet, thus necessitating a reclamation and recycle step to minimize waste. Second, the use of a top sheet of dough covers the bits, and they lose their prominent display in the final cookie. The use of side by side strips of top dough results in a baked cookie with "stripes" on its top surface which can detract from its appearance. Lastly, pressing the bits into the dough can result in a cookie with little or no surface contours, thus detracting from its appearance and from consumer appeal.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing cookie dough in which the bits are prominently displayed.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a process for preparing cookie dough in which the bits are secured to the cookie structure while remaining prominently displayed.
It is another object of this invention to greatly reduce or eliminate the amount of waste incurred when adding bits to cookie dough.
It is still another object of this invention to produce a cookie that has a home-made appearance.
These and other objects will become obvious from the disclosures herein.